Retractable writing instrument



Nov. 2, 1954 H. M. SEARS RETRACTABLE WRITING INSTRUMENT Filed June 9, 1949 EJ 12145) M. 5542s,

IN VEN TOR.

flrroelvsyf llw 5 J 2,693,170 RETRACTABLE WRITING INSTRUMENT Hartley M. Sears, Pasadena, Calif., assignor to Harfley Pen Company, Pasadena, Calif., a corporation of California Application June 9, 1949, Serial No. 97,951 3 Claims. (Cl. 120-42413 This invention relates to a writing instrument provided with a retractable point and is particularly directed to a ball point type of writing instrument provided with gravity-actuated means whereby the writing point 1s retracted into the barrel whenever the device is put vided with the usual cap is carried in the pocket of a garment by having the cap clipped onto the edge of the pocket, the writing instrument itself becomes loosened and separated from the cap falling into the recess of the pocket and staining the garment by contact of the point with the fabric.

It is appreciated that heretofore many writing instruments, lncluding fountainpens and pencils, have been provided with retractable points, but in all prior constructions of this type known to me the point was either moved into operative or inoperative position by means of manually actuatable levers or nobs or the writing point was moved into writing position manually and springs and latches were employed for the purpose of retracting the point.

The construction forming the subject matter of the present invention eliminates springs, manually actuatable knobs, detents, etc., and instead relates to a retractable 'point writing instrument which is gravity-actuated. In other words, the instrument of the present invention, when placed in a writing position I (with the Writing part of the barrel directed downwardly), will cause the Writing United States PatentO 2,693,170 Patented Nov. 2, 1954 Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in longitudinal section, of the writing instrument in writing position. v

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one form of weighted member used in actuating the cartridge.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken along the plane IVIV in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through a modified form of device.

As previously indicated, the invention is particularly applicable to ball point writing instruments which contain a tubular cartridge 1 for writing fluid, such cartridge being connected at one end to a conical writing head 2 carrying a freely rotatable ball 3 fed with writing fluid contained in the cartridge. The end 4 of the cartridge removed from writing head 2 may be open and preferably the edges of the tube are slightly rounded. The tube may contain a loose float in contact with the surface of the body of writing fluid within the cartridge for the purpose of preventing excessively rapid evaporation of the fluid.

The writing instrument itself comprises an outer barrel which may be made of any suitable material, length or configuration, said barrel being provided with a cartridge chamber 10 leading to a writing port 11 at one end of the barrel. The inner surfaces 12 of the chamber 10 adjacent the port 11 are preferably inward- I 1y inclined to form a seat for the conical writing head head or point of the instrument to protrude and be available for writing purposes. When the instrument is upturned so that the writing point or writing port of the 'barrel is directed upwardly, the writing point automatically retracts into the barrel.

Although the construction may be employed with fountain pens employing liquid inks, it is particularly applicable to writing instruments employing a freely rotatable ball point supplied with a relatively viscous writing fluid.

It is an object of the present invention therefore to disclose and provide a simple, inexpensive and positively acting retractable point writing instrument which is gravity-actuated.

A further object of the invention is to disclose and provide a gravity-actuated retractable point writing instrument containing a tubular cartridge for writing fluid, said cartridge being connected to a conical writing head carrying a freely rotatable ball.

A still further object of the invention is to disclose and provide a writing instrument which does not employ a removable cap and which is free from springs, knobs, detents and other elements for placing the writing point either in extended writing position or in retracted and covered position.

These and other objects, uses and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of exemplary forms embodying the inventive concepts hereof. In order to facilitate understanding reference will be had to the appended drawings in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation, partly in longitudinal section, of a writing instrument in inverted, retracted position.

whenthe latter is in writing position. It is to be understood that the barrel may be made of sections suitably cemented, telescoped, threaded or otherwise connected. In the example illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the barrel 'is provided with a recess 13 opposite the writing port 11, said recess being of smaller cross-sectional area than the cartridge chamber 10. A shoulder 14 exists between the recess and the chamber, said shoulder being preferably slightly inclined toward the recess and away from the writing port 11. Moreover, it may be noted that ,the shoulder 14 is spaced from the writing port 11 a sufficient distance so as to engage the end 4 of the cartridge when the writing head thereof is in writing position in the port 11. It may also be noted that the recess 13 is unsymmetrical in cross-section (since it has a flat side Wall) andis capable of slidably receiving the end portion of the cartridge.

A weighted slug or member 15 is slidably but non-rotatably positioned in the recess 13. The weighted slug isshorter than the recess and may be axially bored as indicated at 16. The weighted member 15 is provided with an extension 17 eccentrically displaced with respect to the axis of the weighted member and recess and opposite the flatside of the member. As best shown in Figs. 1 to-4, the exemplary member is provided with an extension in the form of a tongue having a face 18, the end of the extension being slightly rounded.

It may also be noted that the barrel 5 carries a clip 28 connected as at 21 to the barrel near the writing port 11, the clasping end of the clip being directed away from the writing port.

When this device is in inverted position (with the writing port directed upwardly), the weighted member 15 is at the bottom of the recess 13 and the open end 4 of the cartridge 1 extends into the recess so that the conical writing head 2 is retracted within the barrel 5 and the writing port 11 is open. Since the clip 20 is carried near the writing port this is the normal position of the device when it is not in use. When, however, the device is turned so as to direct the writing port 11 downwardly, the cartridge 1 will fall and seat itself upon the inclined conical walls 12 leading to the writing port. The weighted member 15 also drops in the recess 13 and the rounded end of extension 17 contacts the end 4 of the cartridge causing the cartridge 1 to become slightly inclined within the barrel by the entry of tongue 17 between the wall of the chamber and the cartridge, a portion of the edge of the cartridge 1 thus extending beneath the shoulder 14.

The instrument is now in writing position and it will be observed that upward thrust against the ball 3 is transmitted through the head 2 and cartridge 1 against the shoulder 14. The instrument can therefore be used for writing at any pressure and the writing point or ball.

- .3 will .not 'be retracted. As .soon .as .the. device .isinverted again, the weighted member 15 will slide into the bottom of the recess and will be followed by the cartridge.

As previously indicated, the recess -13 may bemonsymmetrical or partly circular, whereas the cartridge chamber .10 may be circularjin.crosssection. .Therecess should be sufiiciently large to slidably receive .the .end of the cartridge when the instrument is in retracted or inoperative position.

The modification illustrated-in. Fig. "'5 distinguishes "from that previously described in that the recess .23. :is symmetrical and concentric wvith respect .to theimain cartridge chamber .101; as :a .result the shoulder L24-com- .pletely. surrounds .the recess 23. The weighted member '15 is slidable .and rotatable .in the recessand is. provided-with anextension 17' in theiform of a pin'hav- .ing a .rounded end, pin fbeing eccentrically positioned with .respect to lheaxis of .recess..'23 .and graVitY .member .15. Since the ends .of the tubular cartridge .11 are .rounded, the extension 17 .is capable the open end of the cartridge 1 .and by reason of the eccentricity of such extension, the cartridge .is shifted laterally so as to place the end of the cartridge in abutting relationship to the shoulder .24 when .in writing position. When the device illustrated in Fig. 5 is inyerted so as to direct the writing port 11..upwardly,..the weighted member 15' drops to the bottom of the .recess 23 and .is followed by a portion of the cartridge 1 caus- "ing retractionof the conical writing head.2.

()thervariations of the structure will readily occur to those skilled in theart. As ,pointed out. hereinabove, the 'recess may be concentric or eccentric with respect to the chamber; the weighted member may be 'rotatably .or non-rotatably slidable in the recess and may "be provided With'a pin or a tongue. The 'pin maybe "spaced from the side 'walls of therecess or' the tongue. may :be contiguous to the side wall. An eccentrica'llyqpositioned, non-symmetrical recess'may be .used -with a weighted member having a pin (eccentrically extendingtherefrom) opposite "the .shoulder between the recess and .chamber.

All changes and modifications coming within the scope of the appended claims are embraced thereby.

.I claim:

1. A gravity-actuated, retractable point, Writing "instrument comprising, in combination: a smooth-walled 'tubular. cartridge of uniform diameter for Writing fluid, said cartridgehaving one open :end and a'conical writing head at the other end; an outer barrel'provided'with "a "writing port and a cartridge cham'berfin communication- '.-1;herewith, the inner surface of the chamber adjacent the ;port beingarranged 'to form a'seat for the Writing-head Whenin writing position; arecess'in thebarrel opposite said writing'port, .said recess being of smaller cross-sec- -tional area than the cartridge chamber but a'dapted to selectively and slidably receive the open endof the tubular cartridge; a shoulder between-the chamber andf-the of entering .recess, said shoulderbeingspaced from .the. writingport to abut and engage the end of the cartridge when the Writing head thereof is in. writing position in the port; and a weighted member slidably positioned in the recess and provided with an extension pin directed toward the cartridge chamber and eccentrically displaced with respect to the axis of the member and recess, said extension pin having 'a rounded -:end aadapted'tto enter the open zend of the tubular cartridge to impart lateral movement thereto ;into';.engagement 10f. .said :cartridge with "said :shoulder to tthereby thold :the writing head in writing position upon the seat when the writing port is downwardly :directed, said Writing head becoming unseated and the end of the tubular cartrid'ge be'ing slidably "received in the recess when the writing port isupwardly directed.

2. A gravity-actuated,retractable point writing instrument comprising: a tubular cartridge for writing fluid, said cartridge. having one open end, the otherend being connected .to a;conicalwr'itinghead Car-tying afreely rotatable iba'llyan outer barrel provided with .a writing ,port and a cartridge chamber in communication therewith, .the. inner surfaces of the chamber adjacent the port being adapted 'to forma'se'at 'for the writing head when in writing position a recess'the barrel opposite said writing'port, 'sa'idrecessbe'ingof smaller crossesectional area than the cartridge chamberbut adapted to selectively receive the "open end of the tubular cartridge; a shoulder between the "'recessandthe chamber, said shoulder being spaced from 'the'writing porttto engage the end ofith'ecartridge when the writing head thereof is in writing position in the port, said shoulder being inclined toward the recess; .and a=weighted member slidably positioned -in the recess and providedwitlr'an'extensionintheform .of a pin eccentricall ydisplaced "with respectto the "axisto'f the member and "recess, said pin having *a rounded -end.,adap.ted to enter-the 'open'end df'the'tubular cartridge in the chamber and laterally move said endintorengagement with said 'shoulderwwhen the iwriting port is downwardly directed and the 'writingfhead is in said'port, said weighted mem- "ber and extension'lbeing slidable "into said'recess when the writing 1 port 'isupwardly :directed.

-3. A gravity-actuated writing instrument .of {the character-stated'iin claim 2, wherein the recess is concentric -with-respect to the "chamber. I

ReferencesCited in the file of thispatent UNITED. .STATES .RATENIS *Nuniber "-Name "Date 2,291,859 I Andrews Aug. 4, 1942 "2,441,280 Moore May .11, 1948 2,587,935 Wallace .Mar. 4,-l952 FOREIGN. :PA'EENTS Number Country Date "52, 733 -Germany Aug. 6, 1890 

